Sermon Tone Analysis

Overall tone of the sermon

This automated analysis scores the text on the likely presence of emotional, language, and social tones. There are no right or wrong scores; this is just an indication of tones readers or listeners may pick up from the text.
A score of 0.5 or higher indicates the tone is likely present.
Emotion Tone
Anger
0.58LIKELY
Disgust
0.16UNLIKELY
Fear
0.5LIKELY
Joy
0.5LIKELY
Sadness
0.55LIKELY
Language Tone
Analytical
0.36UNLIKELY
Confident
0UNLIKELY
Tentative
0.26UNLIKELY
Social Tone
Openness
0.78LIKELY
Conscientiousness
0.8LIKELY
Extraversion
0.07UNLIKELY
Agreeableness
0.69LIKELY
Emotional Range
0.79LIKELY

Tone of specific sentences

Tones
Emotion
Anger
Disgust
Fear
Joy
Sadness
Language
Analytical
Confident
Tentative
Social Tendencies
Openness
Conscientiousness
Extraversion
Agreeableness
Emotional Range
Anger
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9
*The Walls Came Tumbling Down*
*Joshua 5:13-6:21*
*By Bill Denton*
 
 
*Introduction*
A.  A favorite Old Testament story is that of Joshua and the battle of Jericho
1.  Kids learn it in Sunday School
 
2.
It’s often retold as in illustration of faith
Hebrews 11:30 30By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days.
NASB95
 
3.
Illustration (sometimes it’s fodder for jokes)
    A new preacher decided to visit the children's Sunday school.
The teacher introduced him and said, "Preacher, this morning we're studying Joshua."
"That's wonderful," said the new preacher, "Let's see what you're learning.
Who tore down the walls of Jericho?"
Little Johnny shyly raised hand and offered, "Preacher, I didn't do it."
Taken aback the preacher asked, "Come on, now, who tore down the walls of Jericho?"
The teacher, interrupting, said, "Preacher, little Johnny's a good boy.
If he says he didn't do it, I believe he didn't do it."
Flustered, the preacher went to the Sunday school director and related the story to him.
The director, looking worried, explained,    "Well, sir, we've had some problems with Johnny before.
Let me talk to him and see what we can do."
Really bothered now by the answers of the teacher and the director, the new preacher approached the deacons and related the whole story, including the responses of the teacher and the director.
A white-haired gentleman thoughtfully stroked his chin and said, "Well, Preacher, I move we just take the money from the general fund to pay for the walls and leave it at that."
/Cregg Puckett, Florence, Mississippi/
 
B.
Romans 15:4
 4For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
NASB95
1.  Faith, then, is something we should learn about from this passage
 
2.
Old Testament stories are more than just “stories”
a.  they are history
b.  they are meant to teach us important things
c.  they help us become the people God wants us to be
 
C.
Let’s think about a few things that can build our faith and win some victories
*I.  Preparation For Battle*
A.  Joshua 5:13-15
 13Now it came about when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing opposite him with his sword drawn in his hand, and Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us or for our adversaries?”
14He said, “No; rather I indeed come now /as /captain of the host of the Lord.”
And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and bowed down, and said to him, “What has my lord to say to his servant?” 15The captain of the Lord’s host said to Joshua, “Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.”
And Joshua did so.
NASB95
 
B.
This little passage is frequently forgotten when reading about Joshua’s battle
1.
What happened here is not the only time it occurred
 
2.
Exodus 3:4-5 4When the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God
     called to him from the midst of the bush and said, “Moses, Moses!”
And he said, “Here I am.” 5Then He said, “Do not come near here;
     remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are
     standing is holy ground.”
NASB95
a.  there is was Moses before the burning bush
b.  in both cases, the men were confronted with God
1)  both had been chosen for a great work
2)  we understand the assumption of victory at their call
3)  but they needed the faith to accept the challenge
 
C.
At the heart of such an encounter is an issue we might miss
1.
It is wrapped up in what seems to be a strange, unfamiliar command
Joshua 5:15 15The captain of the Lord’s host said to Joshua, “Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.”
And Joshua did so.
NASB95
 
2.
The ground is holy because God (or God’s representative) is present
a.  the captain of the Lord’s host was there – an angel for sure,
     possibly the angle of the Lord (the preincarnate Christ?)
b.  it was here that Joshua discovered the force fighting for him
c.  it was not a place for just anyone, but for a man of God
 
D.
This is the all-important preparation for battle that we sometimes miss
1.  From Israel’s point of view
a.  excitement ~/ anticipation – they were finally entering the land
b.  fear ~/ trepidation – they were their father’s children
c.  cities were walled and fortified; giants lived in the land
d.  their fathers’ faith had failed at this point because they could
     not see the victory that lay in God’s hands
 
2.
From God’s point of view
a.  what’s so tough about a city walled with a thimble of dust?
b.  what weapon frightens God?
c.  what man can stand in God’s way?
d.  this is a “no-contest” contest!
 
3.
Joshua was a man of Israel but he needed to become a man of God
a.  the first step is to get on the right side
b.  it is the step of something called consecration
1)  it means to set apart for a special or particular purpose
2)  here, it was Joshua, set apart for God’s use
c.  any battle at Jericho was doomed to failure unless Joshua was
     ready to fight that battle God’s way
1)  he saw God’s holiness
2)  he knew the mighty force of God fighting for Israel
3)  this was Joshua’s confidence, the foundation for faith
4)  consecrated, Joshua was ready for the battle
 
E.
Forget this point, and we will try to meet our challenges without first
     consecrating ourselves to God
1.
Our city is just as “walled” today as Jericho was then
a.  walls of defensiveness
b.  barriers of differing religious beliefs
c.  chains and shackles of sin and rebellion against God
d.  stubborn resistance of disinterest, ignorance and antagonism
 
2.
To take our city for God we cannot be half-hearted, half-faithful,
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9